Guide and adjuster for looper needles



A. L. TRVER GUIDE AND ADJUSTER FOR LOOPER EEDLES Dec. 4 1923.

Original Fled Feb. 1'7

Patented Dee. 4, 1923.

UNIT siAr Ei-s PMs-N1 omer..

ADELBERT L. 'rai/Sivan, or PHILi/ron'r, NEW Yonx.

' GUIDE AND Amos/run ron LooPEn NEEnLEs.

Applikation med rebraryi?, 1920, serial No. 359,388. Renewed June s, 1923.4

T all whom t may concern;

H Beit knownthat l, ADnLBEsT L. TRAVER, a"citizen'otthe United States, andresident orPhilmont, in the county of Columbia and 4iState"otNew, York, havey invented a new parel. Moreparticularly the vinvention re# lates to the needlemechanism of looper ma- A'ch-ines, andudiscloses.aguide and adjuster fo'rvholding theneedles of afmachine in propervse-wing relationene; with they other. v flhe primaryobject` of the linventionis to i produce new and; improved needle adjusting means, Aand vguide.means for use ,inconnection. withtmultiple needle looping machines; and morev in particular or'use .in eninectio'n with vmytivo thread -overstitch looper disclosedin an application ,for patent filed August 28thn1919,1and identified underthe Serial No. of 3O,491.fr .y

Stt'urth'er object is to produce a guide adjusterv for loopfers which may .be installed on looper machines in general use and function to hold two or more needles in proper relative. sewing' position :in order that Lthe work doneby the looper machines will be generallydmprov'ed., 2 i j The .class :oil looper machinesdescribed in the above identified .copending application for.' patent, embodies two or ymore 'sewing needlesor looper needles.A each of which are independently drivenV .in syneln'onized-l motion one; with the other. It isnecessarycthat the 'needles be very. .accurate in movement, andV if theyget foutpf.. adjustment .due to slight ,wearg in the parts, the needles y will no longer. .follow theoriginalicourse but deviatetheretrom enough .to Ithwart or "prevent the proper sewing relation. Whenthiscondition: exists, lthe: needles, or the .looper and theneedleas they areknowin will not `tol,- low each. other by moving: intoadjagent-re.- lation to. pertormthe looping ofgthel thread and.y drawing ol- -the stitch; `thus the inachineocoasionaHy drops a stitchl and fails to properly function.. .g i A, I j.

- It isvobvious'that-a needis felt for some simplified means for. correcting the' above described slight ineffectiveness of ,looper the primary object of my invention is to trayed l in the 'fulfil .this need' by disclosing and producing a,guide adjuster for loopers which will hold the stitch .needle in positive position while the looper moves relatively and adjacent the stitch needle to execute the looping and drawing. of the stitch.

lViitli the above. principal .and ,other objects ingview, the inventionhasfrelation tothe combination andT arrangement oflooper ma vchine parts, as defined' in the appended clainis; and one practical exampleof which `is presentedy in the following paper and poraccompanying drawings, wherein: Y I ,I v`

Figure-l, discloses aside lelevation ofmy looper machine as embo'died. iin the application Vfor patent Serial No. 20,l91, and parts owhich looper machine are broken awayto disclose the most important features.v This y looper machine shows `theiattachment features embodying a guide, adjuster Jfor loopers construotedin accordance with this inventiOI1..Y l

Figure 2 shows a plan view offpartjo'f Figure l, or more particularly discloses a sectional- View talgenon the lineuiQw-Q. 1 v,

Figure 3 discloses a fragmentary plan view illustrating the manners-of` attaching the Aguidefto the machineand' showing the relation `of said guidewith the stitehneedle. Figure i 4. illustrates a y rear ,elevation of Figure l3 as developed on the line *Ll- 4... i I

Figure 5` discloses apartial sectional view as taken on the line 5-5 of Figure l to show th'eflooper-mounted in. an adjuster, said adj uster parts being inf. section: z.

adjustably holding the looper in the machine.. i

. Figurey 7v :illustrates al sectional view,v taken ,on the line 7 7v of.li"igurel 6 to disclosev the aligned yrelation between the' stitch needle and thejlooper@ f vFigure.V8 illustrates aside elevationand edge View ,projection ory Ea spliced :extensible lin-lr employed toworlgthe looper, said link liaifingmaa extension adj ustrnentT to fenable the"operatontomaintain the loopernin correct andzacurate working relationwith a stitch needlamw. .1 1,:

An lattaqlnnent known `asia guide, adjuster for.' the, needles iof looperf machines con- Seueted in accordance/:With therlens 'ot-1th@ invention employs a guide or receptacle forV view taken .mechanic to change thepl-ane in which the 'looper swings or gyrates in order to cause Ythe looper to swing up `in Closely adjusted relation with the solidly held stitch needle for executing the looping andV drawing of the stitch during the` operation of joining the two knitted fabrics together. j

Y In presenting a more detail description of the invention, there is shownin the draw- 4 ings any appropriate forni of looper machine for joining knitfabrics, but more particularly showing` my looper as embodied in the above heretoforeidentiiied application for patent; and Vmounted upon this looper machine there is shown the guide adjuster for the loopers.

a base or bolting plate 14 upon which is mounted aV frame 'arm 15. The frame arm holds a vertical shaft or stern'16 on, the

lower end of which is fixed a circular plate vto provide an earV 32, and a clampA bracket frame carrying a rotated drum or cylinder 17 having a gear 18 fixed thereto and mesh- `ing with a drive pinion 19 which is fixed Vto a drive'shaft 20.

- As is known to those conversant in the art, and as disclosed in my former and above identified application for patent, ythere is provided a step-by-step driving means for rotating thecylinder 17. The cylinder 17 carries the fringe of impaling points 22 which radiate from the periphery of the cylinder and arerprovided for the'purpose of holding vthe two knit fabrics which are to be oined together. The points 22 of the impaling fringe are slotted or grooved by cutting channels 2 3 inthe points; and as understood by those-conversant in the art, the stitch needle as later described, oscillates back and forth longitudinally in approximately parallel relation to the points 22 and VVmoves. into close co-operating position with the points by passingalong or through the channels Y-23 to go through the loops of the Y two knit fabrics 'hungY on the impaling fringe. 'A guard ring 25 1s Vmade concentric with the cylinder 17 and spaced Vslightly.

Y therefrom. This guard ring is placed closely adjacent to and underneath ,theV impaling fringe 22 for Vthe purpose of holding the `l'nitfabrics" in proper position on the points whilethe needle is executing the stitches.

A needle ar1n27 is pivotally mounted on a bearing- 28 fixed to the framel. needle arm is subjected to appropriate oscillating or gyrating motion and carries on the lowerend thereof the stitch needle 29.

- The stitch needle iscarried approximately radially with the cylinder and in parallel Referring now more infV Yparticular to the drawings, there is shown This Y relation to the impaling fringe points; and this needle is subjected lto high speed oscillating motion imparted thereto byv suitableV driving means as disclosed in my former application forpatent.. A looper arm 30is pivot'ally mounted onrabearing 31 carried on the frame of the'machinaand is Vlike- Vwiseactuated by .suitable driving.v mechanism to cause the outer and lower end thereof to undergo an up and down'oscillatingY motion. The outer end of this'looper'rarni 30 is shown in further details in the Figures 5 and 6. i

The above and foregoing description preadjuster' for theneedles may be used inconinection' therewith. The following descrip- 'tioncovers especially the parts anddetails of my invention, it beingI understood that variations and modifications in design, construction and operation may be made with-` out departing from the scope of theinvention as defined inthe appended claims.

The looper arm is notched out on the end is pivoted to the ear by a pin or screw 34. vBy tightening down on the screw 34 the clamp bracket 33 is heldin Vfixed relation` with the looper arm 30.V The clamp bracket ing sleeve 35 and has fixed 4on one end thereof a collar 37, and on the other end thereof a rocker arm 38.V The Vrockery arm is Vvequipped with Va ball joint on which an adjustable link 39 works tov move-the rocker arm 38 and. oscillate theshaft 36. VThe collar 37 'carries the looper 40 which is thrust into a bore made in the collar andl shaft, and

'anchored in position by a clamp Screw.

The parts just described constitute an adjuster mechanism for varying the workingk Y plane of the looper 10. it is seen how the screw 34 may beloosened and the ,clampV 'bracket 33 adjusted toa slight angle to the looper arm 30 byfsetting it over to either one side. or the other. which would correspondingly swing the axis ofthe oscillating shaft 36 from its originalv position-.and act to .changethe positionfof .the point of the Ylooper 40. This adjuster ymeans as Y described is used for varying the working po'- s'ition'of the looper 40 fory gaining a morev v eiiicacious performanceof the loopingv func-v i k'tions ofsaidlooper. Y

Y The aforesaid adjustable j, link 39 is'speist ciallyconstructedtop'ermit anadjustment ofy the looper 40,-,and--the; construction coinprises-alink o r arm-inade-in two parts'aiid spliced to make the link-extensible and adjustable in length. The curved arm 39 is providedwitha-slotted opening in the lower end thereof` into which clainp screws are inserted. The link-,part 3911 is provided with tapped-lioles-for the reception of the clamp s'crews'inv order to positively anchor these two link part-s together in Vfixed position. The splicedl and' adjustable ylink 39 has been separately illust-rated in Figure 8 to thoroughly disclose its-design and construction. comprehension of the structure of this link 39 will enable the' understanding ot its operation in connection with the machine tor the purpose oft' effecting a certain ad- Y just-ment in the swing-or gyrations' of the looper 40 It this spliced link is lengthened out by loosening the clamp'screws and sliding thef spliced'i lparts further apart, the rocker arm- 3 8 iscorrespondingly depressed, which throws the upperportion-V of the looper point 40 slightly further away from the impaling. fringe- 22; and, conversely, if the link 39 is shortened bysliding the spliced parts closer together, the upper portionI ofthe looper 40 is brought into closer'A relation with theimpaling. fringe. 'llhe adjustment of the loope'r 40 in Figure 6 is so made'that it wor-ks quite close tothe impaling fringe as well asin close proximity to the stitch needle 29. A very slight change in the length-off-thelink or arml 39 is sufficient to correct the adjustment oty the work-ing point of the looper 46. This particularnovel arrangement conceived and disclosed for rendering possible the adjustment of the looper 40 in relation to theiinpaling fringe 22 is a-highly important and improved feature as-regards-the sewing-machine art, and, more particularly, looper machines for joining knitted Vfabricstogether,- since' the operator'` is able tol make the looper 40 gyrate in close proximity to the impaling fringe without danger of* hitting the pins 22-thereof, to' theendtha-t the working point 0f, @hg jooper 40, will, always accurately slipthrough the Ythread-v carried by the stitch needle 29 and thereby'positively execute-.the desired loopand draw the thread to make a well-tormedstitch.-

it is seen, therefore, that this invention {novi-des vtwo independent adjusting means for the looper 40-1one means constituting the` extensible link 39,- as portrayed in Figuie 8; and-theother means constituting the swivel-ed adjust-er cla-mp bracket 33, as portrayed-in the detail Figures 5,6 and?. The iirstadjustment mentionedf makes it possible tor the loo-per needle 40 to be so accu- Vi-{ately positioned-in respect-to the impaling fringe that-it mayfgbe -niade to work very closely thereto; andthe second adjustment mentionedmakesis possible .tol accurately position the loopen-.40 in'respect to the stitch needle 29 so that'thellooper and the needle may be made to work in contiguous relation, that is to saythe needle 29'an`dlooper 40'niay-,b'e so tinelyadjusted'by virtue ofthe swiveled clamp bracket that the looper 40 will work at high speed in approximately contacting relation with the stitch needle. It? is to be noted that the extensible link 39f makes itpossible to adjust the looper 40fradi ally with the cylinder 17 Vwhich moves the upper pointot the looper along the axis-.0f theadjacent pin-ofthe impaling fringe.

llhe needle is provided with a guide-:ori holder means tocenter it in lined and positive' relation after it has reached itsadvane-ed position oitv operation, and this ac-y complishment is obtained by employing a guide, a description of which follows. A bracket 42 is-tixe'd to the ytraine ofy the-machine, and inthe present instance-is iXed to the guard The' bracket 42is spaced somewhat from the guard andl trom the` iinpaling fringe in orderv to clear the knitted garment parts-'to' be-joinedtoge'ther, and in orderA to give clearance: for theoperationof the needles.v The'endi of this bracket islsplit toy form apair ofl clamp arms 43, and a clamp screw 44 is screwed into the arms-tol etlecty ayclamped relation therebetween.v A tubular guide 45 with: a flared end 4G`is held in the clamp arms 43 andt anchored in-iXed relation` therewith by tightening up the screw 44. rilhe member- 45 is made iii-,thevr feriti-0f a tubetlared at one end, or a-holder or aasocket, for the recept-ion et the end of the stitch need-le 29. Thisguide should be constructed.orl hardened steehor other suitable material,` in order thatT the vtiered opening 4G may divert the point ot thestitch needleV to the central portionof the' tube, where said needle `will come to a standstill .withf the point heldl iiiied in` the socket of the holder or tube 45,-

sliow-ii in` the'sectional .plan view, Figure 3. 1 The needle 29 vo-cillates back and Yiojth' iii parallel relation to theimpaling fringe 22, and upon' each successive opera-tion the needle29 ente-rs the tubular opening vofthe ginde" `Tljieadjustment of the bracket 42- a'nd guide receptacle 45 is such that the needle 29 freely enters the-tube with the point ofi the needle centered in the opening otsaid guide to prevent itiiroin vibrating or undergoing lateral .or up-and-'d'own inotionduring the` time that the loopei" needle .i's moving upwardly to eliec-t a stitch.v

.The description inl the foregoing paragraph relates directly' to the 'guide for the stitch needle ot theflo'oper machine, and it is seen howthis guidewill act to holdvthe outer free endoil the stitch needle-29 infirm and immovable relation while other; parts v tion of the needle adjuster and needle guidel spective cycles of operation. Another function of the needle-retaining guide l5 is to hold the needle 29 in approximately parallel relation with the pins 22 of the impalingV fringe so that the stitch needle 29 will be held in very close relation with the point 22 which holds the two loops of the knitted fabric parts to be joined together;

Vlt is possible to make awseparate applicato a machine. However, by employing only one of these devices, it is seen how the other needle could not be adjusted or held, as the case might be, in proper moving relation with the companion needle. By employing the looper-adjuster ii'ieclianismV in combinaJH tion with the stitcli-iieedle retaining` guide, it is possible to so adjust the entire stitching mechanism of a looper machine to such a fine degree of mechanical effectiveness that it will not drop a single stitch, that is to say, the stitching mechanism will not fail -to pass through each and every individual loop of the knitted fabric, thereby doing better work than is possible with machines of present-day manufacture where stitching parts get out of adjustment due to wear which alters the path of travel of the points of the needles. n

In presenting a more detailed description of the movement of the needle 29 and looper 4:0, parti-cular attention may be directed to Figures 6 and 7. The stitch needle 29 oscillates back and forth, and' at the end of each stroke is centered and held b-y the guidel. The looper l0 gyrates at an angle up and down and partly transversely of the stitch needle. T he looper l0 must necessarily move in very close relation to the needle 29 in order tol pick up the thread carried bythe needle 29 and effect the 'looping thereof by drawing the thread upwardly to execute a complete stitch. llVhen the looper ll0 does not move in close relation to the needle'29, the thread carried by the needle 29 is missed by the looper l0 thereby dropping that Vvstitch. Then this occurs, it means that too muchi space is left between the looper 40 and needle 29.. This misadjustment is corrected by looseningthe clamp screw 34 and read-` i f' justing the clamp bracket 33 s0 lthat the the Yneedl e Y29.

looper 40 is ab'ain b iou 'ht into ve closeY Yand ap roXimatelv ccntivuous relation with looper l0 andk the `ability to hold the needle 29 in immovable position are the controlling causes and means employed togetl the Y V'best performance from 'a multiple-needle chines, where the looper is provided withV an oscillating arm,` comprising a clamp' bracket The ability to adjust they pivoted on the oscillatingcarm, a bearing tube anchored in the clamp bracket, an oscillating` shaft j ournalled in thefbe'aring tube,- V aV rocker arm fixed to the oscillating shaft, a

ball joint made on the rocker. arm, 'a link confined `onythe ball joint for imparting moition to the rockerl arm, `a looper `attached to the oscillating shaft, and said looper and os- `cilla-ting` shaft capable' of adjustment by swinging the clamp bracket relatively to the oscillating` arm in order to vary the path of travel of the point of the looper.

2. needle adjuster for looper machines, j

der for holding the fabrics to be sewed to-fV gether and having' a pair of oscillating arms, a shaft carried by one arm and adapted to oscillate therein, a looper needle fixed to the VYshaft journaled in one arm, and a stitch needle iXe-d to the other oscillatingarm, a4

link connected with one oscillating arm and associated with the shaft so as to oscillate the shaft when the arms undergo oscillating motion, and means Vfor varying the action of said link to vary the position of the working point of the looper needle radially of the cylinder which carries the knit fabric.Y

4. A needlel adjuster and guide for sewing machines remployed in uniting knit fabrics, where the machine has a looper and a. stitch looper arm, a shaft journaled in the clamp bracket, said looper being fixed to said shaft needle, comprising an oscillating looper arm, a clamp bracket pivoted on said oscillating and a socket device to receive and center said stitch needle at the end of its travel to hold it in correct position.V Y Y 5. In 'a looper machineV for joining knit clamping said bracket so as to prevent a swinging action, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bracket, means for clamping the looper to said shaft and means co-aoting with. said arm for actuating said looper.

6. In a looper machine-for joiningknitY fabrics together. a looper arm, a` clamping bracket secured to said arm, a tubular memii fabrics together, a looper arm, aV si'vingingY v'bracket mounted on said arm, means for bei' supported-by said clamping bracket,a

Vshaft rotatably mounted in. said tubular member, said tubular member being adjustable longitudinally and capable of yswinging with said bracket, means for clamping imY said bracket in any adjusted position, means in said bracket, a `shad't rotatably mounted for clamping the looper to said shaft and in said tubular member, Ia looper secured to means coi-acting with said arm for actuating said shaft and means co--acting with said 10 said looper. arm for causing said looper |to be properly 5 7. In a loopcr machine for joining knit actuated. fabrics, an arm, a bracket carried by said arm, a tubular member adjustably mounted ADELBERT L. TRAVER. 

